Who Done It?

This beautiful quilt was delivered to DuBois Center in 2017 for a raffle to support DuBois Center. However, we had enough quilts that year and wanted to save it for Fall Festival in 2018. We want to give the appropriate credit to the donor, but no name was included with the creation when it was delivered and the staff cannot recall exactly who donated it. It was safely stored in the office, but now we’d like to give credit where credit is due. We are preparing the posters and publicity for the 3 quilts donated in the this year’s drawings (more information coming soon). If you can solve the mystery of the brown quilt, please contact Norma Borgmann at 618-533-1658 or 618-292-4617 or nborgmann1658@charter.net.  Thanks for your help in finding “Who Done It?”

When is a dock more than a dock?

Over the last 12 months, all three docks on the “big lake” at DuBois Center have been replaced – the Oak Lodge dock, the boating dock and finally the swimming dock.

When is a dock more than a dock? When it’s a free choice activity during high school camp! Last week over a dozen teens – and Rev. John Holst, their chaplain for the week – chose dock construction over a myriad of other activities. With a lot of planning and many willing hands, the team completed the project in record time.

high school dock 2

The high school campers wanted to give back and they definitely did. This week campers of all ages are enjoying the fruits of those labors. A special thanks to two volunteers – Slick (Marcus Vaughan) and Bullseye (Daniel Schmidt) for their above and beyond commitment to the dock’s completion.

high school dock 1

Summer Adventures in July

July is a great month to experience DuBois Center! Many sessions are full, but not all. There are openings in each of the weeks listed below. Check out great pics from the first weeks of camp at DuBois Center’s Facebook page. Recruit a friend new to DuBois Center and SAVE! Click here to register online or contact DuBois Center at dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202 to receive a brochure. NOTE: Grades listed below are the grades completed.
Dates: July 8-13July 15-20July 22-25
Horse Camps with Openings: Pony Express (grades 4-6), Horsin’ Around (grades 5-7), Saddle ‘Em Up (grades 7-9)
General Sessions with Openings: Boy Meets Camp / Discovery Camp / Girl Power (grades 1-3), Settler (grades 3-5), Mad Science / Move It! Move It! (grades 4-7), Splash! (grades 5-7), Base Camp / Trekkin’ It (5-8), Outlander (grades 6-9)
July Camp 2

Mission Week – May 2018

It was a whirlwind of activity as volunteers from St. Paul UCC in Belleville, Christ UCC in Dupo and other friends of DuBois Center descended the third week of May. Braving unseasonably warm weather, they tackled a variety of projects around camp – at the boat dock, office, beach house, rustic cabins and beyond. Their efforts have already had a significant impact on the quality of the camping experiences we provide.

We have a new boat dock! A small crew deciphered cryptic instructions, assembled the modular pieces and secured them in place – often finding creative approaches to challenges.

Work Week 3

The south side of the office was overhauled. The siding was removed and replaced, and the garage wall was re-framed and the foundation upgraded. When this team opened the section of the wall by the ventilation fan, they discovered FIVE FEET of dried grass, branches and feathers. The massive nesting area was removed and efforts were made to critter-proof the opening.

The beach house also underwent a major overhaul. The walls were painted inside and out, and the pipe-and-shower-curtain changing partitions were replaced with full-length wooden dividers and doors.

Work Week 2

In all ten cabins in the Rustic Village, the electrical wiring was inspected and upgraded, and the ceiling fans and lights replaced with more efficient, more effective, lower profile fixtures.

In the craft area, railings were super-sanded and painted, and supplies were sorted and organized.

MANY THANKS to the volunteers who dedicated their week to making these incredible improvements at DuBois Center!

It’s Not Too Late – Register for Camp!

Summer vacation is a great time to get outside, unplug and make new friends face-to-face. Give your kids the gift of joyful, low-tech, faith-filled fun this summer! 2018 Summer Adventures at DuBois Center are filling quickly – some already have waiting lists! However, there are still lots of great options available, just don’t wait too long. Pick up a brochure in your church office, click here to view the online version or contact DuBois Center to have one mailed to you – dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202.

Save the Dates!

Yes! We are in the midst of summer camp, but it’s never too early to start planning for fall. We have a great line-up of events once the sunscreen and beach towels are packed away.
Save these dates and watch for additions and details:
Sept 14-15  ISC Confirmation Retreat
Sept 24       1st Day of Nature’s Classroom
October 6    Fall Festival Work Day
October 7   FALL FESTIVAL
Oct 12-14    Mother-Daughter Retreat
Oct 19-21    Southern Illinois Art Workshop
Dec 1          Thank You Christmas Party

Welcome Team – Thank You!

We had an amazing turn-out for the Sunday Welcome Team on June 10! Fifteen volunteers greeted and welcomed campers and parents on the first summer camp check-in day of the season.

A special THANKS to Casey & Kris Avise-Rouse, Debbie & Mark Beckmeyer, Norma Borgmann, Sue Davis, Aaron, Susan & Harmon Fuchs, Audrey Hicks, Shelby Jackson, Wendy Juenger, Don Kaiser and Sandy & Scott Kuether. These volunteers packed a whole lot of welcome into just three hours after church. They assisted with the camp store, paperwork review, health screenings, pontoon boat & dock duty and people-moving.

The Welcome Team joined forces with seven full-week volunteers – Donna Asbridge, Nicole Avise-Rouse, Bethaney Brickeen, Rev. Todd Mushaney, Dan Schmidt, Alana Scherle, Marcus Vaughan and the camp staff to make check-in run smoothly. Many of these volunteers hail from Illinois South Conference churches; others are “friends” of DuBois Center. UCC churches represented include Christ UCC – Dupo, St. John UCC – New Athens, St. Paul UCC – Columbia, St. Paul’s UCC – Freeburg, St. Paul UCC – Waterloo, St. Peter UCC – Centralia and Zion UCC – Hoyleton. THANKS for your service. We couldn’t do it without you!

Are you interested in joining our Welcome Team? We have June 24 and July 8, 15 and 22 left this summer! Contact the office at DCInfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202 for more information.

Summer Volunteers Needed

Consider a week (or even a few days) at DuBois Center and join our Summer Camp 2018 team! Wanted: fun, engaging, and caring volunteers to serve as nurses, cabin counselors, activity specialists and barn helpers. Minimum age is 18 for most positions; young adults and older adults are welcome.

Give of your time and talent, make a difference, and gain a wonderful sense of satisfaction! For more information, go to the volunteer page of our web site or contact Shirley at shirley.director@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202.

It’s Not Too Late to Register for Camp!

Summer vacation is a great time to get outside, unplug and make new friends face-to-face. Give your kids the gift of joyful, low-tech, faith-filled fun this summer! 2018 Summer Adventures at DuBois Center are filling quickly – some already have waiting lists! However, there are still lots of great options available, just don’t wait too long.

Pick up a brochure in your church office, click here to view the online version or contact DuBois Center to have one mailed to you – dcinfo@DuBoisCenter.org or 618-787-2202. Ready to register today? Click here.

Registration for Rainbow Camp is Open

Rainbow Camp is a day filed with activities and fun, where everyone is recognized as a child of God. Come play in the water, take aim with archery, try your hand at crafts, or just take in the outdoors from horseback or pontoon. We have activities for all ages.

We will gather on Sat, Aug 18 from 9 am to 7 pm, at DuBois Center. Rainbow Camp is for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & queer singles, couples and families. Straight allies are welcome too. If there are at least 15 people interested, we can stay Friday night as a group at Hickory Lodge. During registration, you have the option to select “Rainbow Camp” for the day camp option or “Rainbow Camp Overnight” to stay the night.

Register now to get the early bird rates. See this flyer for more details. Click here if you’re ready to register. Got questions? Contact ISC Pride at iscpride@iscucc.org.